Tennessee: Facts and Figures

Tennessee exports a huge range of goods, from manufactured goods like automobiles and electronics to chemicals and its world-famous whiskey. In 2017, Tennessee exported a total of $33 billion worth of these goods, helping to support over 720,000 jobs in the state. Over 80 percent of Tennessee companies that export their products are also small or medium sized businesses.

Job Creation

In Tennessee, 728,800 jobs (18.5%) are supported by trade, including 146,976 jobs supported by manufactured goods exports in 2016.1

In 2015, 7,161 companies exported goods from Tennessee of which 82% were small- and medium-sized enterprises. In 2015, 163,500 people were employed by affiliates of companies at least 50% foreign-owned.2